


Starting Out Right

by Cephy



Category: Last Remnant
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, First Meetings, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-06
Updated: 2010-05-06
Packaged: 2017-10-10 16:44:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,931
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/101908
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cephy/pseuds/Cephy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The obligatory Last Remnant college AU, in which things are always easier than real life.  ^^</p>
            </blockquote>





	Starting Out Right

**Author's Note:**

  * For [amei](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=amei), [wredwrat](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=wredwrat).



> Written to accompany the lovely artwork of amei and wredwrat.

It was the Friday before the beginning of fall semester, and the campus was humming. No classes, not yet, but close enough that everyone had returned from their summer freedom regardless. They were meeting their friends and buying their textbooks and filling the space, running between buildings, going about the business of getting ready for the coming year.

David was no exception, really, making his way across the main court towards the café where the others were to meet them. Walking with Torgal at his back he cut easily through the crowds, the other students taking one look and stepping out of the way-- except for one, a stranger, a young man with dark hair wearing low-belted jeans, standing dead-centre in the path and looking in consternation at a piece of paper. David's steps took him right to the young man, who looked up when David's-- or more likely, Torgal's-- shadow fell over him.

Instead of appearing startled, though, the young man's face brightened. "Oh, hey, can you help me? I have _no_ idea where I'm supposed to go."

David could all but feel Torgal looming behind him; could definitely sense the startled and wary looks of the other students as they cut a wide path around the three of them. But he rather bemusedly took the piece of paper-- a class schedule-- and looked it over. _Rush Sykes_, the top of the paper proclaimed. Third-year sciences, for the most part, with a smattering of fourth-year electives, a strange mix for someone who apparently didn't know his way around. "You're new?"

"Transfer," Rush explained with a shrug. "From Eulam. Don't worry if you've never heard of it, it's got maybe 400 students on a good day. But my family moved out this way, so I decided to see what the big city was like." He gave David a wink and a grin, as if inviting him to share the joke. "I only moved a couple of weeks ago, so I'm still settling in; this is the first chance I've had to come down to campus and figure out how it works."

David, smiling faintly, looked down at the schedule and noted the room assignments. He opened his mouth to give directions, then closed it again. "This way," he eventually said, "I'll show you."

"Hey, thanks! That's really ace of you. I'm Rush," he added, holding out his hand.

David looked at the outstretched hand for a moment before taking it, further bemused to have his arm pumped enthusiastically. "David Nassau," he said, waiting for a reaction. He didn't get one.

He walked Rush around the campus, pointing out the buildings where he would have class, and paid no attention to the eyes that followed them from the rest of the student body. Patient as always, Torgal followed along one step behind, silent but for the occasional _clack_ of the beads in his hair. And it was interesting, seeing it all for the first time again through Rush's eyes, as he took delight in the smallest of things-- the murals on the side of the library, the gardens outside the biology building-- and marveled at the massive, sword-like statue in the centre of the green.

Once they finished, and found themselves outside the student centre once again, Rush turned to them with hands tucked neatly in his pockets. "So, you've got to let me buy you coffee or a snack or something, yeah? To say thanks."

David merely nodded, and let Rush fall in beside him as he led the way to his overdue coffee date.

With Rush sitting with them, the air around their table was filled with cheerful noise, and David was content to let the sound roll past him. Blocter and Rush enthused at length about the various varsity teams and their upcoming games, while Emmy watched them both with an unimpressed look. Pagus, upon learning that Rush was enrolled in some of the same classes as he, gained a certain gleam in his eye that meant Rush should be prepared to debate the subject matter at some point in the future.

"What are you guys doing tonight?" Rush asked as they broke up for the afternoon. "You want to go get a drink or something? There's this place near me that's not bad. And they know me, so we should be able to get extra munchies as long as we go while the kitchen's still open."

 David gave him an arch look. "You've been here two weeks and you're already a regular?"

"Well, it's like a rule, right? You've gotta get friendly with the pub closest to your house." Rush grinned. "So what do you say?"

 The others looked to him, of course; if they were surprised when he nodded, they didn't show it. "Seven o'clock?"

Rush gave them the address, scrawled down in a looping hand on a torn-out piece of notepaper. He waved as he jogged off, backpack hanging haphazardly off his shoulder. "Thanks again, Dave! See you later."

The pub that lay at the end of Rush's directions was in an area of town David hadn't often visited-- not a bad neighbourhood by any means, but an older one, and rather distant from his own apartment. He met Torgal and Pagus in the parking lot, waited for Emmy when they all saw her drive in. Rush was waiting for them at the door, and his face brightened when he saw them. He pushed off the wall, strolling over to meet them with hands in his pockets.

Inside, the pub was not what David would have expected from the cracked concrete exterior. It had a comfortable, authentic sort of feel to it-- none of the glittering fakery catering to the club crowd, but dart boards and wood beams and worn red upholstery, old photographs competing with brass plaques on the walls.

Rush glanced to the bar when they got in the door, and his eyes went a little wide. "Oh. Right." He darted a sidelong look at David as they worked their way further inside. "Just go with it, okay?" he said, smile quirking, and with that he put an arm around David's waist.

David blinked, then put his around Rush as well, just as they arrived at the bar.

The bartender gave Rush a broad smile as he returned Rush's greeting, though his eyebrows went up when he noticed David. He looked David up and down openly-- and then looked at the position of their arms and gave a gusty sigh. "You should have told me you had a boyfriend, honey," he said to Rush. "I'm no poacher."

He made their drinks with a practiced flair and slid them across the bar, then gave them another smile and went off to his other customers. "Though if you change your mind," he tossed over his shoulder, "you know where to find me. Either of you."

"He would have been after you all night, otherwise," Rush murmured as they moved off towards a table.  

"As he was you?" David asked shrewdly, and Rush rubbed the back of his neck, grinning.  

"It's nice to be hit on, sometimes," he answered with an easy shrug, not embarrassed. "But you didn't seem the type to want to put up with the attention." His smile pulled up at the corners, mischievous and teasing. "And I'm not sure I want to share."

David didn't move his arm, and neither did Rush.

It was a pleasant evening. A band set themselves up in the corner at one point, started to play just as the lights dimmed-- despite the rather alarming moniker of 'Bloody Alice', they had a very enjoyable sound. The kitchen, as per Rush's assurances, served up a fantastic selection of fried foods that avoided being overly greasy, and the bar featured one of David's favourite imports on tap. Even Torgal unwound enough to lounge back in his chair, one long arm hooked around the back.

They left when the wave of giggling first-years arrived, the overflow from clubs packed with those eager to get their university days started off right-- or wrong. David wordlessly picked up Rush's tab on their way out-- he met Rush's startled eyebrow with a faint shrug. "If I'm your boyfriend, I should be buying, shouldn't I?"

After a pause and a considering look, Rush smiled again, a slow thing that made something in David's stomach tighten. "You'd better let me get it next time," Rush warned, before going ahead and pushing through the door.

The silence in the parking lot was ringing after the interior's low roar. David nodded farewell to the others as they climbed into their vehicles and drove off. Keys still in hand, David then looked at Rush with arched brows. "So what would you be doing with your boyfriend now?"

Rush smiled, and leaned in to kiss him.

David closed his eyes and returned the kiss, easy and comfortable, one hand raised to Rush's jaw. They pulled back after a moment, and Rush hooked fingers into David's belt loops and tugged as he stepped away.

"This way."

Rush's apartment wasn't far at all, just a few blocks before they were unlocking a door beside a window proclaiming "Noyce's Craft &amp; Hobby" and climbing the narrow stairs to the loft above. It was obvious from the interior that Rush was a bit of a packrat, the space filled with shelves and displays and _things_, but it managed not to feel stifling. Quite the opposite, it made the wide open space seem closer, more intimate.

They turned to each other once the door closed, Rush's arms going around David's waist. David's own hands started on either side of Rush's face, then lowered to twist into the collar of Rush's sweatshirt before pushing it free-- it was soft with wear, heavier than he expected. Rush shivered once as he was left in just his t-shirt, even though his arms were warm when David ran his hands up them.

They kissed again, slow and deep, while they shed their clothes and swayed their way across the room. Rush gave a rather breathless laugh as he tipped them over onto to the bed.

**

Rush woke up warm and comfortable. The bed was empty, when he slid an arm over to check, but the pillow was still warm and he could hear someone moving nearby. Crawling out from under the sheets, he found some boxers and shuffled over to the kitchen area, where Dave was just pouring two mugs.

"Coffee?" Dave himself asked, not looking over his shoulder, that fantastic accent of his a little thicker with sleep.

"Ngh," Rush answered, taking the proffered mug in one hand and wrapping the other arm around Dave. He was warm, skin-warm, bare-chested like Rush, and it was nice to press himself against Dave's back, just to feel it. "Thanks," he added, after a few sips had his brain starting to wake up.

"Mm." Dave turned in his arms, leaning back against the counter; Rush took the invitation to move closer, to duck down and tuck his head under Dave's upturned chin. His mug clicked against the counter as he rested it there, his eyes closed. He thought he could probably go back to sleep, just like that, even standing up.

"Shower?" he eventually said.

"Mm," Dave said again. They separated, taking a few more swallows of coffee, then Rush led Dave towards the bathroom, where he didn't bother to hide his grin as he watched Dave shuck his pants.

He had a feeling it was going to be a good year.


End file.
